Devotion
by BookWorm4307
Summary: This is a series of moments shared between Narcissa and Lucius during the two wars. Together they face a turbulent world filled with hatred and darkness. They discover that sometimes it is all too much to bear; the only thing that can possibly hold their crumbling world together is each other.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Harry Potter world, all of the characters, places and ideas come from J.K. Rowling.

A person who survives one war will find themselves perpetually accompanied by darkness and will seek out companionship in among those who have survived such atrociousness. A person who survives two wars will wander up and down the cemeteries where their friends and family rest in a perpetual attempt to find a way to join them. This place was not a cemetery, yet it contained two bodies. Beneath the branches of a tired tree stood a single stone which was meant to represent the two individuals who lay below its feet. It was an odd place for a grave site; it was in the middle of a forest with no pathway to guide a friend or family member. It was isolated and meant to be inaccessible.

Yet here a young man stood looking down upon the decaying stone. There was no trace of a name written upon it as is typical for a grave stone. Yet, he knew he had found who he was seeking. His answer was confirmed by the subtle remains of two flowers. Two entwined narcissus flowers.

The young man stared at the site in front of him, trying to find answers to questions that had long been lost about the two people deep within the ground. Their participation in the two wars was known and they had been long accused of siding with darkness and malevolence. He was the right hand man to the Dark Lord and she was the companion who aided him in his malicious deeds. So much terror is known to have come from these two people.

But decades have passed and there has begun to be a new interest in the lives of these two. People have rummaged through their belongings; at least whatever there is that remains. Many have not been satisfied with the limited information that was extracted from those items. The more that was unknown, the more the public craved for facts to fill those voids. A group of individuals calling themselves "The Devotees" have attempted at long lengths to find the remains of this couple. They call themselves that after the known devotion that held the pair together. They want to know what happened to the infamous couple who once housed the Dark Lord in their home.

"Why did you do it?" the young man asked the stone.

All they could offer was their silence.

…

_It was this gentle strength within her that first attracted him, that made him want to see what else there could be behind her pretty blue eyes. He had found her in a back room of her family's grand house with a black lumpy blanket wrapped around her as she sat facing the large window that looked out onto the large pond. She was painting the scene in front of her with patient hands. Although she was right handed, she would switch the hand she painted with every once in a while. Even though it was such a small detail, he found it charming that she did so._

_As the brush stroked the parchment the paint seemed to purr in satisfaction as it found its new home outside of the tube it had been confined in. The early sunshine was beginning to pour in through the windows and engulfed the young woman. The light seemed to bounce off of the water in a mirthful glee as it scuttled over onto the grass and the trees surrounding. Her blond hair shimmered gracefully as it captured some of the sunshine._

_The house was still quiet which meant that her sister had either not risen yet or was out wreaking havoc somewhere else. If Bellatrix was home, he hoped that they would leave before she stirred; he had had far too many uncomfortable interactions with the dark-haired witch. He did not want to disturb the pretty moment but if he didn't pull her away soon, a confrontation would ensue between him at the middle Black daughter._

"_Narcissa," he spoke gently._

_With a small jump of surprise, she turned around to find her attractive boyfriend leaning against the doorway. A small smile formed across her pretty face._

"_Lucius, I thought you weren't coming until this afternoon."_

_He shrugged, "I had hoped to snatch you away from the house before Bella awakens." That, and he wanted to spend as much time with her as he could in the next 24 hours._

_A quick laugh escaped her mouth, "Yes, that was a wise decision. She has been particularly exasperating these last couple of days."_

_Lucius extended his hand to her, "Shall we?"_

_Narcissa set her paint brush down and folded the blanket up and put it back in its place in the cabinet. With a smile she walked over to him and leaned into his side as he draped his arm across her shoulder._

_Youth allowed for them to be affectionate. While Narcissa was still quite troubled by the loss of her sister Andromeda, so much else in life was optimistic. She was crazy about the strong, passionate young man she was dating. She was captivated by his commanding presence, the way that he had seemed almost regal next to their peers when they attended school. He held his principles ardently and expected others to join him in his stance against the decline of the wizarding world and the weakness of allowing non-purebloods to exist in their realm._

_As Lucius led his girlfriend to the door he reached his left hand into his pocket to check, once again, to ensure that the velvet box was still there. There was no other woman who could fill the role as his wife quite as well. It pleased him that his and her family were satisfied with their match; yet, he knew he would have married Narcissa regardless of their acceptance. She was certainly capable and she upheld the same values as he did, but then again there were so many other women who could do the same. No, she was different. It was not simply that she is beautiful or that she was from the proper bloodline, it was her quiet confidence, the fire that stirred in her eyes when she was angry, the way she always appeared decorous but had a mischievous streak that could not be mollified, and the way she could surprise any person with her extensive and impressive intelligence. She was both subtle and blatant, composed and passionate, sharp and soft._

_Yes, Lucius thought, we will build a life together and we will save our world from those who try to mutilate it. By the end of the night she would be committed to the title Mrs. Malfoy._

…

_She realized, of course, that she could have simply charmed these books down to her, but she rather liked climbing up the ladder and reading through all of the titles. All she had to do was lengthen her arms to be just a little bit longer so that she could reach the book she needed. It was quite the balancing act as she tried to stand on the very tips of her toes while holding onto four other books._

"_Careful there Cissa," Lucius warned. "Come down here, I can get that book for you."_

_Narcissa swatted her hand at him impatiently, "I can do it."_

_Lucius rolled his eyes and muttered something about short, stubborn blonds._

_She was almost there when she lost grip of the books in her hands and began to wobble on the ladder. As her feet slipped off the rung of the ladder Lucius grabbed her waist before she fell further to the ground. When she turned around in his arms she wore a sheepish grin._

"_Perhaps it was a little too far for my reach."_

_Lucius smirked, "When will you stop fighting and allow me to take care of you?"_

_Her smile turned into a pout, "I can take care of myself, Lucius."_

_His face was drawing closer to hers, "Uh huh, and what would you have done, Miss Black, if I had not been here to catch you?"_

_She shrugged nonchalantly, "Last time I only had a bruise on my ankle; it was hardly anything of concern."_

_Lucius rolled his eyes, "You mean to tell me that this has happened before?"_

_Narcissa gave a small laugh, "Several times actually."_

_Shaking his head he asked, "What am I going to do with you?"_

_She shrugged again, "I don't really think that there is anything that you can do."_

_His eyebrows rose, "Oh really?"_

"_Mhmm."_

_He drew closer to her. "We'll see about that," he whispered before placing his lips on hers. Narcissa placed her arms around his neck so that she could bring him in closer. He had one hand gripped her waist to keep her close him while the other was gently caressing her cheek. They stayed that way for a while, alternating between soft, gentle touches and deeper, harder caresses. Eventually they pulled away in order to catch their breath. Both with lazy smiles strung across their faces._

"_By the way," Narcissa whispered, "It's Mrs. Malfoy."_

_Lucius tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek fondly. Then he moved to help her step down from the ladder and back onto the floor, "Would you like me to get that book up there?"_

_She smiled and shrugged, "No, it's nothing important, just some light reading for fun."_

_He raised his eyebrows, "Narcissa, all of the books on that shelf look as though they weigh more than you."_

_She laughed, "You know I can't help myself."_

_Lucius scratched his neck, "You are quite the bookworm, one of these days I'll come home to find you so far buried inside a book that I won't be able to pull you out."_

_Narcissa took his hand in hers, "Dear, how about we stop talking about books and find something else to do."_

_Lucius looked down at his wife curiously, "And what is it that you have in mind?"_

_She gave him a small smile before letting go of his hand and turning away from him, walking towards their bedroom._

_Lucius chuckled before making large strides to catch up with her._

…

_While there was plenty of easy happiness in the early years of their marriage; yet, the increasing division between the purebloods and those who believed in a mixed society was becoming progressively larger. It would not be long before actions would have to be made in order to get their message across._

_Lucius was late for dinner again. She knew he was busy and that what he did was important, but the hours they spent together were quickly disappearing. She sat on the couch in the atrium of the Manor waiting for him to arrive. It was her job to be here for him when he returned home so that she could mollify all of his troubles._

_She jumped when the front door slammed open. Lucius strode in, threw his cloak at the house elf standing in waiting and went directly to his office. Narcissa stood in surprise and went to follow him. She hesitantly opened the door and peered in to see her husband rummaging through his desk impatiently._

"_Lucius," she whispered._

_He abruptly haulted and looked up to see his wife staring worriedly at him. He shook his head and continued what he was doing. "I can't have dinner with you tonight Cissa."_

_She frowned, "But I've had your favorite made."_

"_Not tonight."_

"_But-"_

_He slammed his hand on the desk, "Not tonight Narcissa!"_

_Her eyes grew large before she backed out of the room. She went back to the couch and sat down, determined to sit and wait for him to finish whatever it was that he was doing. However, time ticked by and she grew more and more fatigued._

_Lucius finally exited the office at around 3:00 am. When he crossed the atrium to head towards the bedroom he found a sleeping Narcissa curled up on the couch. He sighed and moved over to her form. He bent down and stroked her cheek._

"_What am I going to do Cissa?" he whispered._

_Still sleeping she inched closer to his touch. Lucius scooped her up into his arms and carried his wife to their room. When they were both lying in bed Lucius watched her sleeping form. How could he tell her what was happening? How would she handle this alteration in their lives? He could only hope that she would understand and that she would adapt to the changes._

…

_He had always been unfailingly strong, but now there was a new coldness that marked his character. The tattoo was not a decorative symbol drawn on his arm, it was the mistress that called for him, out of the bed he shared with his wife, and into the company of another._

_She didn't sleep at night any more, she couldn't. If she fell asleep she dreamed of terrifying circumstances where Lucius was taken away under horrifying and frightening conditions. Yet when she stayed awake Lucius still wasn't there. There was no place that she could go, either in her mind or in reality, where she could find a peaceful moment with her husband._

_It wasn't that she objected to what he was doing. She always supported his values and loved how vigorously he promoted his principles. Lucius was completely and utterly devoted to the Dark Lord's vision. The Dark Lord and his followers, the Death Eaters, took a violent approach to bring their ideals to fruition. Sometimes you have to be proactive and use actions to bring about change, sitting around discussing problems isn't enough._

_Narcissa sat there staring out the window contemplating these situations that were circulating her life. She shook her head and noticed that paint had dripped from her brush and was now splattered on her lap. Despite the fact that the paint could not be removed from the expensive fabric of her robes she found herself not caring. Everything was just floating by; she felt no real attachment to anything._

_The canvas had been transformed into an image of dark cantankerous trees that were entrapped in the morbidity of autumn. She frowned, feeling the weariness of extreme boredom, and dipped her brush in black paint and slashed it across the landscape._

_It wasn't just boredom nor was she simply lonely. There were many events that she attended and she was constantly meeting with her and Lucius' acquaintances. It was an odd sensation that she had never encountered before. It was a seclusion that couldn't be filled by grand parties, beautiful clothes, or luxurious whines. Emptiness, it appears, is an endless pit that cannot be filled by anything._

…

_She had been wrong. She peered down into the crib where a six-week old Draco lay asleep. She brushed her finger against his cheek adoringly. She knew that she should be sleeping and taking advantage of the moment; this was a rare instance when Draco was not crying or needing her care._

_She jumped when an arm was draped around her shoulder. She looked up to see Lucius as he settled in next to her to watch their child. She leaned in against his form contentedly with a sigh. He stroked her mussed blond hair gently._

_"You should be sleeping Cissa."_

_She shrugged, "I just like watching him."_

_"He'll still be here in the morning."_

_She shrugged again._

_Lucius looked down at her noticing a sadness pushed in the back of her eyes. "Cissa?"_

_She leaned further into him, not wanting to break the moment. There were so few nights that they were all together, more often than not Lucius was off performing tasks for the Dark Lord. Motherhood was a great distraction and she found something to occupy that emptiness she had been fighting with. Yet, every night that she stared at his empty chair at dinner she was reminded that she was still alone._

_Lucius tugged at her frame and tried to move her away from the crib, "Come on Cissa, let's get you to bed."_

_She obediently moved with him. He pulled the blankets away and helped her climb into their bed. Fatigue consumed her as she curled up against Lucius once he joined her._

_"I miss you," she whispered against his chest._

_He sighed and pulled her closer, "I'm right here."_

_She closed her eyes and began to drift off, "For now."_

_Lucius looked down and saw that she had fallen asleep. War was upon them, and as much as he had tried to keep it away from their home, somehow, it had snuck in regardless. Every instant he was aware of the burning upon his arm that reminded him of his alliance to the Dark Lord. Never would a moment pass where his presence would be forgotten. There was a high price to fighting for one's principles. Lucius knew that he sold himself, but it was his hope that in doing so his family would be left untouched by his master's authority._

…

_The adrenaline rush of fear and exhilaration pounded against her ribs. Lucius had left their home in response to an emergency call from the Dark Lord. Apparently there was a terrible situation that was transpiring between the Death Eaters and their adversaries._

_Narcissa ran down the stairs shouting for one of the house elves, "Poppy!"_

_With a loud pop the elderly elf appeared in front of her mistress._

"_Make sure to watch Draco and do not allow for any visitors to enter this household," she directed._

"_Of course Mistress Malfoy. When should I expect you to return?" she asked._

_Narcissa wrapped her short outdoor robe around herself and stuck her wand into her left black boot, "I don't expect to be back soon."_

_With that, she apparated out of her home._

_The smell of noxiousness hit her nose immediately. Curses were flying through the air, striking down victims left and right. She needed to get to Lucius, she didn't care if he refused to allow her to fight, she had to help. No longer could she stay in their house curled up reading a book while her husband faced death every night. He had always appreciated her skills and her intellectual mind, it was time she put it to use. Her mind was forced to go into action immediately as she dogged between the chaotic lethal streams of magic._

_Aside from the glow of the blood colored moon the only light to be seen was the fires that had erupted. Yet even though her sight was hindered she saw a wall up ahead that had not yet been breached. She launched herself behind it to catch her breath from running. How would she find him in this mess?_

_A heart wrenching scream was thrown into the air as another person must have been attacked. Amazing how in life we like to lie to ourselves in regards to death, pretending that it is a peaceful encounter. Yet there is nothing serene about someone forcing a healthy heart to stop beating._

_She heard a familiar cackling laugh up ahead. Bellatrix must have found a new victim to play with. Narcissa rushed forward to reach her masochistic sister, perhaps she would know where Lucius is._

"_Bella!" She shouted when she saw a mass of wild hair flailing in the air._

_She whipped around to the voice that called her name, throwing a killing curse at another victim before responding, "Cissa?"_

_Narcissa reached her sister and grasped her arm, "Bella, do you know where Lucius is?"_

_A sadistic smile grew across the witches face, "Why Cissa, have you finally decided to join us?" A squeal of mirth escaped her mouth._

"_I'm here to help my husband."_

_Bellatrix grasped Narcissa's hand, "Then I shall lead you to him."_

_The two sisters made their way through the chaos. This poor house was being obliterated and would no longer be a home for a family, it would only be a home for despondency._

_A large man came running towards them in attack, Narcissa blasted him away from them. Bella's gleeful laugh collided with the incensed air._

"_You will be a welcomed addition," she responded._

_Ahead she could see her husband's blond hair whip around as he deflected curses directed at him. Two men were getting in close to him when Narcissa shot a blocking curse to repel them from Lucius. He turned around to see who was aiding him, the surprise of seeing his wife soon turned into aggravation._

_He strode over to her and grasped her away from Bellatrix's, "Narcissa what in Merlin's name are you doing here?"_

_"I am not going sit in our house any longer sitting around waiting to find out whether you are alive or not."_

_He ducked them behind a battered couch as Bellatrix became involved in a frenzied duel between multiple wizards._

_"You are to go home immediately," he growled in frustration._

_She shook her head, "Absolutely not. I am staying whether I fight next to you or not."_

_He pulled her closer to him as more curses ricocheted off of the walls remaining._

_"This is not up for discussion, you must go. Go back to Draco."_

_"Draco is being looked after," she gripped his sleeve. "Lucius, I'm staying."_

_He looked into her eyes and found that quiet strength that had first drawn him to her. There would be no changing her mind._

…

_The taste of war was in her mouth, it was filling up in her pores and burning down her throat. Someone was tugging her out from under the rubble that had collapsed on her._

_"Narcissa," Bella's voice shook her frame._

_Slap! Bella only had one gear and that was to use force at every opportunity._

_Narcissa shook her head as she tried to regain consciousness. There was smoke draped across the air making it difficult to breath._

_"Bella, what happened?" she asked once she sat up._

_"More Death Eaters arrived and we were able to overcome these defectors. This wall was breached while you were fighting and knocked you out."_

_"Where's Lucius?"_

_"He was called by the Dark Lord."_

_Narcissa met her sister's eyes, "What do you suppose he wants with him?"_

_Bellatrix shrugged in her nonchalant way, "Who's to say? Perhaps he is needed for a new mission."_

_A tall man approached the two sisters, "Narcissa, Lucius has requested that you go back to the Manor."_

_"Will he be there when I arrive?" She inquired._

_The man nodded and swiftly turned away to find shelter in the chaos around them._

_Narcissa turned to her eerily jovial sister, "I'll be taking my leave then. Will you be going back home now?"_

_Bella shrugged, "Eventually. But before I do that, I might be interested to sniff out some more troublesome mudbloods. You know how hunting is like a lullaby for me; it has a certain finesse that can lull me to sleep."_

_Narcissa rolled her eyes, "You've begun to allow your work to turn into an obsession."_

_That familiar sadistic smirk curved into the brunettes face, "No dear Cissy, I've turned my obsession into my work."_

_With that Bella apparated out of the collapsed house, leaving Narcissa to do the same._

…

_As soon as her feet touched the expensive carpet of the atrium she could feel a sense of a sweltering distress. Poppy was standing right in front of her waiting obediently for her mistress to return home._

"_Master requests that you meet him in his office," she peeped up._

_Narcissa removed her robe and handed them to the house elf, "Is Draco well?"_

_Poppy nodded, "Yes, Mistress, very well."_

"_Do you know what it is that Lucius wants?"_

_The elf shook her head, "No Mistress, only that he requires you to meet him there immediately."_

_Narcissa nodded and walked away from the house elf towards to direction of her husband's office. Upon reaching the door she knocked softly waiting to hear if there was anyone else occupying the room with Lucius. However, before she could make any observations the door was ripped open by an enraged Lucius._

"_Lucius-."She was cut off._

_He grabbed her and dragged her inside before slamming the door behind them._

"_Do you have ANY idea what you have done? You inane witch! Do you know what you have cost this family?" He shouted at her. "Did you not think that your actions would go unnoticed? That the Dark Lord would not know what you've done?"_

_Narcissa tried to pull away but his grip only tightened._

"_Of course you didn't think. Of course not, you only think about your own frivolous desires!" He snarled._

"_Let go of me, you're hurting-."_

"_You had better hope that this is all I do to you after what you just pulled!" However, despite his words he shoved her away from him._

_Narcissa stared at her husband wide-eyed, unsure of how to move forward._

"_What has happened?" she whispered._

_Lucius's face was hidden behind his hair as he hovered over his desk, grasping onto its edges in rage. "The Dark Lord was impressed by your actions."_

"_Surely, that isn't such a terrible thing."_

_He turned away from his desk to look upon his tired wife's face. "No, Narcissa it is a very terrible thing," he pushed away from the desk and stood directly in front of her. "He will be wanting to see another demonstration of your dedication and after you've done that he will want another and then another until you eventually find yourself stamped by his authority."_

_Narcissa's mind wrapped itself around the words that he was saying, trying to understand how twisted and perverse their world was beginning to become. When was marital devotion and act of demonstrating one's valor for pugnacity? Surely, she was willing to fight for her beliefs and for the lives of the ones she loved; however, she was far from willing to bind her soul to a cause with no limits. Unlike her sister, her views were not her obsessions they were goals that she wished to be obtained through diplomacy. Yet, looking into her husband's dejected eyes she knew that diplomacy was never a tactic the Dark Lord intended to use._

"_What should I do?" she asked._

_Lucius shook his head in an attempt to find control through the fog of his anger. "You will tell him that you were acting upon the impulsivity of your flippant love for your husband. You were suddenly frightened by the thought of being away from me and foolishly felt compelled to find me. You had no intention of fighting; however you had retained enough knowledge from your schooling years to get by. Yet your skills were not strong enough and you were eventually overcome when an auror breached a wall in your direction."_

_Narcissa perked up at such mentioning, "You knew that the wall collapsed on me? Why didn't you get me out?"_

_He stared at her, "I knew because I was the one who destroyed it. I didn't help you out because I knew it would benefit your story for the Dark Lord."_

_Anger began to roll through her body. Not only was she being accused of being completely without senses, but her own husband had intentionally caused bodily harm to her._

"_You mean to tell me, that after I came to that house for__you_ _so that I could help__you,__youdecided that the best way to express gratitude was by dropping a wall on my head?"_

"_You should be thankful that that is all I did!"_

_She reeled on him, "Thankful? Thankful for what? For all of the endless hours that you have left me and your son in this house alone? For every time that I've taken care of you whenever you__did__decide to come home, despite the fact that you treat with complete disdain? Or how about the fact that you've dogmatically tied yourself to some acrimonious man who has no intention of ever rewarding you for your actions? You know that there is no end in sight but destitution, yet you continue to obey his every command like a puppet. You have no care that one day your wife is going to be husbandless and your son fatherless because you don't have the courage to fight with integrity instead of malice!"_

_Lucius's eyes rimmed with turbulent frenzy. "Get out," he gritted through his teeth._

_She shook her head and moved closer to him, "I am not going to back down to you. My spine is not so frail that I will continue to allow you to berate me. You may be the provider of his household, but that son of ours will never grow to know you if you continue on in this manner. You may have chosen to fight this war and follow the Dark Lord, but Draco and I will not be joining you any further. You have a choice, you can choose to be with your family or you can choose to be a Death Eater."_

_He glared at her, "You have no authority to take Draco away from me! You would never be able to make it out in the world without me to protect you."_

"_Protect me? Lucius, after tonight, I think that I need to protect myself__from__you. As for Draco, I will never allow for him to follow in your footsteps. He will never be forced to bear the mark of the Dark Lord, and he will certainly never become the malicious killer that you have become."_

_There was a shift in his icy grey eyes. The war around them was beginning to fight with the war within him and there was no knowing which would win._

"_I don't know what to do," he whispered with despondency._

"_In what way?"_

_He peered into her eyes seeking some kind of clemency. "Even if I wanted to get out, there is no exit. When I made my oath, it was agreed that there would be no breaking of that vow."_

_She placed her hands on her hips, "Which vows? The one's to me or the one's to him?"_

"_I have no desire to break our marriage Narcissa."_

"_Then what are you going to do?"_

_He shook his head, "Don't you understand Cissa? Everything that I do is for you and for Draco. I answer his every call so that he never decides to call upon you. I kill whomever he wishes dead, I torture whomever he seeks answers from, and I punish myself for every action he does not approve of. I have tried to keep you locked away in this house so that he would never find interest in you. That way, at least one of us could look after and safeguard our son."_

_Narcissa frowned miserably, "Then there is nothing left for us to do."_

_Lucius grasped her shoulders firmly, "Cissa, if there is ever a way out I will take it. I will do everything in my power to ensure yours and Draco's safety."_

"_I'm still very angry with you," she whispered._

_He nodded, "I know."_

"_We'll just have to take it day by day."_

_Lucius touched her hair fondly, "Tomorrow is Halloween, The Dark Lord has given me no instructions for the day. Perhaps we can take that time to be a family."_

_Narcissa leaned into his tall frame, "That would be nice."_

_Neither one of them could have imagined what a difference a single day could make. At that moment they could not have known that their world was going to be greatly altered and that they would soon face a great test in their relationship; a test that would require both of them to deceive authority and to assimilate into a society hostile to their kind.  
_

* * *

AN: Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this! I really appreciate it! I will try to stay on top of updating and putting out new chapters. I'm in the midst of mid-terms so I may be a little busy.


	2. Chapter 2

Part II

History books were filled with accounts of their efforts to promote their discriminatory values; it was acknowledged that they were war criminals and that the world was a better place without their existence. Yet, some wanted to know more about their dynamic relationship. Was Narcissa comparable to her fanatically insane her middle sister or was there a part of her that appealed to the principles held up by the sister who had abandoned her bigoted heritage? So much could never be known; but perhaps, just by standing in front of that isolated grave, he would receive some sort of answer.

_ It should have been a time of peace, but all that surrounded them was turmoil and apprehension. Bellatrix was in prison, Lucius had barely escaped from Azkaban himself, and convincing the world that they were enemies of the Dark Lord was difficult task to manage. _

_ Yet, as she looked down upon their son who was toddling around the room, grasping onto table tops and chairs to help him in his efforts to walk, all fears paled in the delight of knowing that her child would grow up in a safer world. _

_ Draco toppled over a wrinkle in the rug and tumbled onto the floor gracelessly. _

_ "Oh, Draco!" Narcissa yelped as she quickly moved to check him for injuries. However, as she reached him he turned to her and squint his eyes in mirth while peals of ebullient giggles erupted from his mouth. Narcissa joined him and giggled along. She bent down and scooped him up into her arms and stroked his blond hair out of his face tenderly. _

_ He continued to giggle as he placed his palms on her face, "Mum-my," he chortled. _

_ Narcissa smiled warmly, "That's right Draco. Mummy." _

_ The toddler clapped his hands in the delight of being correct. _

_ She tucked his head onto her shoulder and took a second to take in this moment of peace. However, Draco was quickly excited by a sudden movement behind her. _

_ "Da-da!" He squealed. _

_ Narcissa turned around to see a smiling Lucius walk into the room. _

_ "How is my boy?" he asked taking his son from his wife's arms. _

_ Draco seemed thrilled by the question and began to speak in excited garbles. _

_ Narcissa and Lucius laughed at the easy and simply pleasure of a toddler's mind. _

_ Lucius reached a hand out to stroke Narcissa's hair, "How was your day today?"_

_ She smiled and answered, "We had a lovely time together. We spent the morning in the play room and then in the afternoon I took him out to the gardens. He was particularly thrilled to find a toad. I think he wanted to take it inside with him, but unfortunately in his excitement I think he squeezed the poor thing too tightly."_

_ Lucius gave an exaggerated grimace, "Well at least he's curious. And a curious mind is a wonderful thing."_

_ Narcissa laughed, "And how was your day, husband?" _

_ Lucius shrugged as Draco began to play with his hair, "Everything seems to have settled down and the Minister and I have begun a very promising acquaintanceship." _

_ Narcissa worked on extracting blond tuffs out of their son's grasp, "I knew things would blow over. You are far too charming and far too handsome to resist. It was only a matter of time before the Ministry came around to your favor." _

_ He smiled, "Why thank you, dear." Noticing the sleepy expression on Draco's face, Lucius handed him back to Narcissa, "Perhaps we should put him down for the evening." _

_ She nodded and walked with Lucius up to the nursery. When they reached the room, she gently shifted the sleeping child into his crib. Lucius tucked the light green blanket around him and tenderly stroked Draco's cheek. How at ease children could be; all they needed was a few hours of dream filled slumber to rejuvenate their energy. The desire to return to such an age was overwhelming and Lucius felt the daunting hope that he would be able to provide a continually happy life for his family. Looking down at his son he realized that there was hope for such an existence and that despite the troubling circumstances the future suddenly felt optimistically promising. _

…

_ There was a certain excitement that came with visiting Diagon Alley. She could almost smell the scent of fresh ink, she could feel the softness of the pages of new textbooks, the hooting of owls anticipating adoption and the unbearable bubbles of excitement in one's stomach in the expectancy of purchasing a wand. This place could always take her back to a time when living was peaceable and going back to school was the most exciting part of the year. Oh how she longed to hear the clatter of the train pull away from the 9 ¾ Station. She would give anything for that old train to take her away to the place she loved so greatly._

_ All of these wonderful memories could be triggered by this place; it was remarkable. Yet, today prior feelings of exhilaration were swept away under the carpet of her trepidation. She had come here not for quills or potions; she was here to ensure that her sister's vault at Gringotts would be safely locked away so that neither auror nor Ministry employee could enter it without hers or Lucius' approval. Of course she was instructed to tell the bank that it was out of their concern for others' safety. _

_ After the Dark Lord had mysteriously been defeated by the Potter's infant there were so many ends that had to be tied. Yet no matter her efforts there were just so many knots to fix and strings left broken that it became very difficult for her to make amends to their lives. _

_ This was a task that she had been avoiding for several weeks, but Lucius had convinced her that morning to get it done and over with. The only way to convince the public of their innocence was by making such demonstrations. _

_ Narcissa straightened her shoulders and entered through the large doors of the grand bank. The heels of her shoes clicked nervously against the old marble floors and seemed to announce her presence to the room in the same manner that a howler would. _

_ Upon reaching the large oak desk of a familiar gremlin she paused before speaking, "I am here in regards to settling the issues pertaining to the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange."_

_ The taciturn gremlin peered at the blond woman in front of him inquisitively. "You must have the proper authority to do so." _

_ Narcissa nodded curtly, "I have such authority." She pulled a scroll from her robes and handed it to him, "This document states as much." _

_ He read over the scroll with at a meticulous pace before replying, "Very well, Mrs. Malfoy. What are the concerns regarding Mrs. Lestrange's account?" _

_ "Simply that no one is to access it without the authority of myself or the authority of my husband, Lucius Malfoy."_

_ The gremlin remained silent as he glowered at the criminal's sister. _

_ She continued, "Of course, we are requesting this change out of the concern that there may be artifacts or items that may be hazardous to others. Lucius and I would rather be the ones to take on any trouble that may arise; we do not wish to allow for the possibility of someone else being harmed. My sister could be," she paused, "Rather capricious in the types of wards she used to protect her property." _

_ The gremlin gave a curt nod before signing off on the document she had presented. "It is settled," was all he gave her. _

_ Narcissa required nothing further and so she turned to leave. However, as she did so she was bumped unceremoniously by a much familiar auburn haired woman. _

_ "Cissa?" she gave a started gasp. _

_ The coldness that swept through her was so turbulent she felt as though she could breathe snow. _

_ A sneer marred her attractive features, "Andromeda." _

_ The oldest Black sister frowned down at her youngest sibling with melancholy. The Dark Lord may be gone, but the hurt that she had caused could never be repaired. One does not desert their family, not for anything or anyone. Especially not for a muggleborn. How different their current reality was to the one from their childhood. Andromeda had once been the holder of Narcissa's affection and admiration, now there was no sign of affection upon the blonde's face. _

_ "You are here for Bella?" she asked even though she already knew the answer. _

_ Narcissa glared at her, "I am here for my sister." _

_ An expression of weariness and grief clouded Andromeda's eyes, "Cissa."_

_ Narcissa shook her head, "I have nothing to say to you." With that she brusquely left Gringotts and upon exiting immediately apparated to the Manor. _

_ Lucius sat in a chair in the corner of the living room waiting for her return. When he heard the slightest of "pops", he looked up from the article he had been studying to great his wife. He had expected her to return relieved, but the expression on Narcissa's face was far from alleviation. _

_ "Cissa, what is the matter?" he asked as he stood up from where he sat. _

_ She began to shake her head in what appeared to be rage. Lucius grabbed her chin in his hands and raised her eyes to meet his. What he found was not rage, rather the exuberant grief of betrayal. _

_ "What is it Cissa? Did someone say something to you about Bellatrix? Tell me who it was, I'll make sure that they never speak to you again." _

_ She shook her head, "I saw Andromeda." _

_ Lucius loosened his grip on her chin and caressed her cheek affectionately. He knew that he had no words that could comfort her. He knew that the imprisonment of Bellatrix had taken its toll on her. Despite Bella's carnal desire for destruction, the bond of sisterhood held the two loyal Black sisters together. No matter the difference in their approach in preserving the superior race, there was a silent understanding that they would take care of each other, no matter the cost. That hidden oath was made stronger when their oldest sister abandoned them for a man who epitomized the destruction of their values. _

_ Narcissa made no sounds of grief and gave no tears, but the sadness in her expression tore at his heart. He pulled her into his arms and held onto her, wishing that he could absorb any sadness that touched her. _

_There was something unbearable about the way people were celebrating the demise of the Dark Lord. Everyone was so quick to look to the potential future and had no issue with forgetting the barely deceased past. So much was lost and there so many comforts of previous times that would never again touch their lives. _

_ As a man he was taught to provide for his family and he took that job with dedication. His career allowed for a decadent life style, yet there was nothing he could do to ensure the happiness of his wife and son. He could try, of course; but, how could he hope to achieve such a goal when it felt as though the rest of the world was trying to prevent him from doing so? _

…

_ Despite the troubles they encountered right after the defeat of the Dark Lord, their fortune took a turn for the better and society once again revered them and their social authority. Narcissa was the focus of many women's jealousy. Beyond having a handsome husband, an adorable heir, exuberant wealth, and beauty she carried an air of confidence that many women envied. Very few people dared to quip up an argument with Mrs. Malfoy, for as delicate as she looked her quiet intelligence was quite formidable. _

_ It was not uncommon to see Lucius allow his wife to carry on the majority of conversations with his colleagues. In such moments there was an evident gleam of pride in his stony eyes. They were young and they were powerful. Any thought of addressing their enigmatic prior ties to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were pushed away. _

_ The crowd at the annual Ministry Ball all watched on enviously as the beautiful couple waltzed delicately across the floor. The hand that grasped her hip was far from aggressive and resisted any urge to be controlling. Rather he seemed to be holding onto her out adoration; a sentiment rather unusual for a couple such matched. The hand she placed on his shoulder attempted to covertly draw him in closer to her. They knew, of course, that there were certain social requirements that issued that they dance at a certain distance from each other. Yet there was no denying the closeness of their bond. It was apparent even in the way her silk, sea foam green robes seemed to mollify the strictness of his formal black ones. _

_ When the music settled down to a pause, their movements came to a graceful stop. While many became distracted by the beginning of a new song, others noticed how Lucius gently tucked a loosened blonde hair behind her ear. Before he pulled his hand away, his thumb strayed for a moment, grazing her cheek in such tenderness it was palpable to on-lookers. _

_ A young witch in deep burgundy robes turned to her friend her and whispered, "Their love, it's almost tangible." _

_ The friend smiled in response, "They must live such a romantic life." _

…

_ Yet while there were good days, there were also bad days. Some things just happen and there is no explanation for their occurring, only that life does not always offer as much fortune as we often hope for. _

_ This particular day did not begin the way that Narcissa had hoped. As she rolled over in bed her face came in contact with a piece of parchment. Sleepily, she unfolded the note and read:_

_Cissa, _

_I was called in early for work this morning. I hope that you can forgive me! I promise that I will return to you as quickly as I possibly can. Take care of yourself and the little one and please tell Draco that I am terribly sorry that I cannot help him with flying practice today! I promise that I will do so this weekend._

_Love,_

_Your devoted Husband_

_ Narcissa scrunched her face in disappointment. With the luxury of laziness, she slowly rolled out of her sheets and made her way to her wardrobe. She felt a great impulse to allow herself to indulge in a day of rest. Therefore rather than put on one of her more expensive robes she chose to wear her older, more comfortable pale blue robes. Standing in front of the mirror she leisurely allowed for her nightdress to slip off of her slender form. She smiled at the reflection that looked back at her as she affectionately placed a hand on her stomach. _

_ There was still hardly any sign that she was pregnant, but she could barely contain her excitement. She longed to give Draco a sibling that he could play with and she knew that Lucius loved being a father. She of course knew how important the bonds of siblings could be. While she was still getting through the imprisonment of Bella she hoped that they would one day reunite. No matter how greatly they varied in their personalities, their sisterhood held them together. Draco was such a good boy; he deserved to have that kind of companionship. _

_ Narcissa pulled her blonde locks up into a slopping bun and slipped into her comfortable attire. Once she was finished with her clumsy-chic outfit, she made her way to the library; she and the baby were in the mood for a good read. _

…

_ He had faced death, fought some of the most powerful wizards, endured the searing burn of the Dark Lord's brand and yet none of those things frightened him quite as much as this moment. In the middle of a meeting with Fudge he received an emergency note from the house elf Poppy. He had initially disregarded the letter after assuming that Narcissa was simply pestering him about his long hours at work. However, his heart almost erupted when he read that his wife was found unconscious lying in her own blood. _

_ He wasn't entirely certain how he got to St. Mungos, for his mind had gone completely blank and the pounding of his heart kept all other sounds at bay. He raced through the sterilized hallway and reached the desk where a nurse stood. _

_ "Where is Narcissa Malfoy?" he practically shouted. _

_ The young woman patiently raised her gaze to meet his feverish one, "Can I have your name, sir?"_

_ A growl of impatience ripped through his throat, "Lucius Malfoy! My wife Narcissa is here, where is she?"_

_ "Just a moment sir, let me check with the doctor." _

_ Enraged Lucius grabbed her arm, "You don't need a doctor to tell me which room she's in!" _

_ "Sir, there is no need to get disruptive. I need to check with the doctor to see if she is allowed to see visitors right now," with that she pulled her arm out of his grasp and turned to find the doctor. _

_ "What does that mean?" he asked out loud, panic lacing his words. _

_ A few short moments later the nurse returned with the doctor, finding Lucius barely able to contain his anxiety. _

_ "Mr. Malfoy? I'm Dr. Lazuli, I am the doctor who has looked after your wife." He was an older gentleman with slightly greyed hair and kind brown eyes. _

_ Lucius shook the man's hand, "What has happened to her? Can I go in to see her?"_

_ The doctor nodded slowly, "You can visit with your wife in just a moment. I think it would be best if we first found a private room to discuss her situation."_

_ Fear gripped Lucius, but he nodded and followed the doctor into an empty room. As he took a seat the doctor flipped through several charts to find Narcissa's. _

_ Finding it he looked up to speak, "Mr. Malfoy, your wife has suffered a miscarriage." _

_ "What? How? She's in perfect health. Did something happen to her?" Lucius rambled. _

_ The doctor sighed, "Unfortunately, sometimes these things just happen. Even with all that we know and all the magic that we possess, sometimes nature has plans of its own. However, your wife seems to have some damage along her uterus. I see in her chart that you already have one son," he paused. "Well, I think that you and your wife should be thankful that you have at least one child. Unfortunately, in this case her body just could not sustain another pregnancy." _

_ His heart was beating at an unbearable pace, "Will she be able to have any more children?" _

_ The doctor looked solemn, "She may be able to conceive, but it is highly unlikely that she will ever be able to sustain a pregnancy to its full term. It is my suggestion that the two of you should consider not having any more children. If she did become pregnant she would most likely lose the baby and possibly her own life." _

_ Lucius shook his head, struggling to understand why his healthy wife should be unable to do such a natural thing. "But isn't there some way that you can fix whatever internal damage she has?" _

_ "This is one of the unfortunate limits of magic, had we known of the damage when it had first occurred it would have been possible to minimize the impairments. However, at this point too much time has gone by. I'm afraid that there really isn't anything that we can do." _

_ "What could have caused this? If she has some sort of injury what could have sustained it?" he asked. _

_ The doctor shrugged, "Well it could be from several things. Has your wife ever had any blows to her stomach? Perhaps something heavy fell on her. Then again it could just be an issue she received genetically. Sometimes, even among purebloods, there can be issues with fertility." _

_ Lucius sunk further into his chair unable to give the doctor any answers. He felt overwhelmed by the devastation which felt as though it was crushing him into tiny pieces. He had only this moment to succumb to his grief, for as soon as he walked into Narcissa's room he would have to be the strength that she needed. _

…

_ She lay there sleeping, looking somewhat pale, but appeared surprisingly serene considering the circumstances. Lucius walked quietly over to her and bent down to kiss her forehead. Perhaps he could pull in whatever pain she felt just by touching her. _

_ Her eyes flickered open, fluttering gently across his cheek, at the gentle touch of his lips. _

_ "Lucius?" she whispered in a barely audible voice. _

_ He sat down on the edge of her bed and gently held her face in his hands. "I'm right here." _

_ Her lip gave a slight quiver, "I lost the baby."_

_ His fingers stroked her cheek, "I know, sweetheart." _

_ Tears began to rim her eyes, "I'm so sorry. I know you wanted another child. And Draco-"_

_ Lucius shook his head fervently, "Oh Cissa, sweetheart, this is __**not**__ your fault. You have done nothing wrong." He tried to be convincing, yet he knew that there were no words he could give her that would make this better. _

_ Sobs began to seep out of her and her body began to quake from her anguish. Lucius shifted himself so that he could lie next to her. When he was situated he pulled her tightly too him and just held on. It was the only thing he could do to show her his strength and to keep himself from losing control. _

…

_ Lucius wasn't sure who slept less any more. He could feel Narcissa's mind working itself to sleepless exhaustion as it tried to figure out how her own body could bring her so much harm. Lucius was imprisoned by his own thoughts. On and on he wondered if the loss of the baby and Narcissa's inability to have another was entirely his fault. _

_That night that she had come to fight in that house. The memory clogged his mind and congested his dreams. Over and over again he watched the image of himself breaching the wall that collapsed on top of his wife. He had done so with the intention of saving her from the Dark Lord. Yet now there was no master to fear and he and his wife could no longer grow their family. It was while submerged in these thoughts that Lucius wondered, just how much had he really given for that cause? _

…

_ She leaned against the doorway to Draco's room, watching as her child slept on peacefully despite the palpable turmoil in the Manor. If only she could still this moment and just stay in it for a few moments longer. The glimmer of the moon peeked through a gap in the curtains, leaving a quiet glow on her baby's sleeping face. She smiled slightly at how simplistically beautiful motherhood could be. _

_ She stepped into the room and looked around at all of the things she and Lucius had supplied their child with. The only noise she made was the soft sound of her pale night-robes brushing the wood floors. Quietly, she ran her finger tips over the numerous children's books and across the soft toy animals. There was a fondness in these things, and yet a deep sadness as well. It would not be long before Draco outgrew his childhood. There were only so many times left where he would ask for her to read him a story and it would not be long before he cared more for quidditch than his stuffed Dragon named Bear. _

_ He would grow to be a great man, but all she wanted right now was for him to remain her beautiful little boy. Her heart broke thinking of how lonely he would be without a brother or sister to bond with. All she wanted was to give him a childhood that he could hold onto. Her own childhood was filled with memories of her and her sisters running around their estate filled with exuberant imaginations and replete with happiness. Draco would never feel that solidarity. _

_ There was a new coldness that had encroached on her heart. Bella was in prison, Andromeda had abandoned them, and she couldn't even provide her family with a family. This reality was far from what she had imagined as a child. Life was not turning out the way that it was supposed to. Lucius and Draco were all she had now and they would be the only one's she would love. There would be no wasting of affection on the temporary. Time was ticking far too fast and she would not be wasting any more of it on anyone who was just passing by. _

…

_ "You're being rather hard on him, Lucius." _

_ "Don't start with me Cissa, he's perfectly fine. He needs to learn that he is not always going to get what he wants. Discipline in a young boy's life is crucial." _

_ "I don't disagree. But for Merlin's sake, Lucius, he's 8 years old. You didn't have to yell at him like that." _

_ "Cissa, when I was his age my father used the Cruciatus curse as castigation. He'll be fine." _

_ She put her hands on her hip, "Just because your parents used such barbaric forms of punishment on you does not mean you have to be so abrasive with our son." _

_ Lucius groaned, "I am not trying to be abrasive, dear. I am trying to make sure that our son does not become overindulged." _

_ "Are you saying that I spoil him?" she quipped. _

_ Wishing he could run away he answered, "It isn't that you spoil him, Cissa. You just don't discipline him. He needs structure and he needs to realize that there are consequences. Life is going to throw many challenges his way and he won't learn to deal with them if we constantly step in to rescue him." _

_ Narcissa's frown deepened, "But Lucius, there are only just a few short years that we __**can **__keep him safe. You're right, he is going to grow up and he is going to have to face challenges that we will never be able to prevent. So why can't be just protect him now? Why can't we give him a peaceful childhood? We can give him something that he can hold onto during those dark days he is bound to have when he's older." _

_ That strong yet gentle strength always seemed to creep up when he least expected it to. He __**was**__ the abrasive one; it was his instinct to approach any scenario brusquely and abruptly. Yet, her compassion always seemed to draw him in and sooth his edges. There was also always that slight slice of guilt that always seemed to cut into his mind when they discussed the methods of their rearing their only child. There would be no other children for them to raise. _

_ "Fine, Cissa, I will try to be less terse with Draco. But you are going to have to face the fact that he __**is**__ growing up and that very soon his decisions won't be reliant on ours. He goes to school in only three years. No reputable academics will allow for him to misbehave; they will expect him to perform with decorum and to take responsibility for his actions."_

_ A pout began to form on her face. The very thought of Draco going away to school distressed her. "I still don't like it," she whispered dejectedly. _

_ Lucius smiled and kissed her furrowed forehead, "You don't have to like it, Cissa. After all, parenting is a delightful combination of being a provider, a supporter and a penal officer." _

_ Narcissa's pout deepened and she smacked his shoulder, dismissing his joking tone. _

…

_ The argument over where Draco would go to school overtook their relationship. Narcissa insisted that he attend Hogwarts while Lucius loathed the idea of his son being taught by an unqualified headmaster. She would pester him at breakfast, as soon as he returned from the Ministry, and she would even send owls to his office in the middle of the day. _

_ "He's going to Hogwarts, Lucius." _

"_We are not having this discussion again, Narcissa. He's going to Durmstrang," Lucius ordered as he began to get ready for bed. As he leaned down to untie his shoe his face came into contact with a pillow being thrown at him. _

_ Mixed between being humored and irritated he chucked the pillow right back at her. _

_ "Listen here, Malfoy! You go to work every day and leave me here to raise our son!" _

_ A groan ripped from his throat, "Oh Merlin, Cissa not this again." _

_ "Every day Lucius!" she declared, "And it is not that I object to your working, I know that you do it all for our family and that it is necessary in providing a livelihood for us. You do a wonderful job, really you do. However, you have left it to me to raise Draco and after all of these years of mothering you simply expect me to ship him off to the far northern regions of Norway. Norway! All because you cannot see past your own issues with Dumbledore." _

_ "Cissa-"_

_ "There is no other reason why he shouldn't go to Hogwarts; it is a perfectly respectable academic establishment. And of course he wouldn't be so very far away from home. I don't expect him to come back every weekend, but at least he will have the opportunity to do so if he wishes." _

_ "Cissa-"_

_ "Please, Lucius. You know that I will accept whatever decision you make, but please think about me in this. You have your work and your colleagues and your friends; all I have is this family. After all that we have been through, please don't take Draco away from me. I hate the idea of us being spread so far apart." _

_ Lucius remained silent for a moment, studying his wife's troubled expression. He knew that she rarely relinquished her emotions and that she always kept them reserved. This was a subject that meant far more to her than he had perhaps realized. _

_He sighed before replying, "I'll think about it. Can we please just let it go for the rest of the evening? I would much prefer to spend tonight admiring my beautiful wife, rather than having a brawl with her."_

_ Narcissa mollified, "So long as you promise to consider what I've said." _

_ Lucius gave a gentle grin as he tugged her silver robe off of her slim shoulders, "You have my word." _

_ A curious smile began to curl across her face, "You're just trying to distract me." _

_ Lucius leaned forward and trailed soothing kisses up her neck, "Is it working?" _

_ She pulled away to brush her fingers through his hair playfully, "Keep going and I'll let you know." With that encouragement, Lucius pulled her back towards him for an impassioned kiss. _

_ As he laid them down upon their bed he was intrigued by their conversation. She was so concerned that he would dismiss her request and that he would overrule her wishes with his own. She seemed to believe that he was the one who made the big decisions concerning their family. He knew differently; he may play the role of the man of the house, but she was the true authority. Did she not realize that he would do anything to make her happy?_

…

_ The excitement around them was palpable, students were racing around the platform lunging at their friends and causing a kind of jovial chaos. Narcissa tried to keep her smile small, but her mind kept whisping away at her own memories of this place. It wasn't all that long ago that she too raced through the old brick wall and stumbled onto the platform to take a magical train to a magical place. _

_ Draco walked slightly ahead of his parents with an air of confidence, allowing for his future peers to recognize his influence. Pride was almost bursting from her chest as she watched her son greet pushed his trunk onto the train and was greeted by his friends. The three young boys chattered away animatedly, displaying just how eager they were to arrive at the Hogwarts castle. _

_ Narcissa smiled as she saw two Seventh years walk by hand in hand, wearing their matching Slytherin robes with pride. She glanced up at Lucius fondly, remembering when their own romance was kindled at this very location. _

_**(Flashback)  
**_

_**The wind was having quite a tantrum and would not cease to tug her out of its constraints. Strands of hair were swishing in and out of her view which she found rather inconvenient since she was looking for someone.**_

_** The train would be leaving momentarily and yet she still had not managed to find him. She stood up on her tip-toes trying to see over the heads of all of the parents, families and friends so see if she could catch a glimpse of his blonde hair or maybe a glimmer from his Prefect badge. **_

_** Suddenly a pair of hands clamped over her eyes. She gasped in surprise and whirled around to wrap her arms around her boyfriend. Their parents had only allowed for them to see each other under close supervision and even under such rules they only managed to see visit one another a few short times. **_

_** His slightly mocking but mostly endearing smile crossed his face as they pulled away, "Did you think I wouldn't show up?" **_

_** She laughed and swatted him with her hand, "Well you are cutting it rather close! I wouldn't have thought that your mother would allow you to get here at such a later hour!" **_

_** He grimaced, "She wasn't particularly pleased, but there was a little bit of an incident with the house elves. They seemed to have forgotten to pack quite a few of my things." **_

_** "Oh, well that must have caused quite a scene," she giggled, knowing how Mrs. Malfoy could be. **_

_** He strung his arm around her shoulders to direct her to the train, "It did, I almost feared for the pitiful silly things' lives." **_

_** Narcissa beamed at him, adoring his every word. As they reached the train, Lucius helped her step up onto the steps and lead her to their own compartment. **_

_** Once they were settled in he told her, "I'll have to be going to the Prefect meeting in just a moment."**_

_** "How long will it be?" she asked.**_

_** He shrugged, "It shouldn't be too long." He gave her a broad grin, "I'll make sure to race back to you as soon as it is over." **_

_** She laughed, "Oh don't make haste, I can manage just find on my own Malfoy."**_

_** He chuckled, "I am quite aware." **_

_** He got up to leave, but before he exited he turned around to her once more. He gently placed his hands on either side of her face and brought his lips to her own, leaving her with something to think about while he was in his meeting. **_

_** She smiled fondly as he left the compartment and directed her glance out the window and watched as the train made its way hastily through the forests and over mountains making its way to the place she always felt was home. **_

_ Narcissa shook her head distractedly and focused her attention as Draco came up to his parents to give his last goodbyes. _

_ Lucius put a strong hand on the young boys shoulder, "Now Draco, remember that when you are at Hogwarts you are not only representing yourself but you are also representing your family. Do not give us any reason to be disappointed."_

_ Narcissa resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "Dear, we just want you to behave yourself and to take care of your wellbeing. However, should you become worried about anything please do not hesitate to write us." _

_ Draco nodded curtly; he understood that he was different, that he was the heir to a powerful and historical family. "I will, mother." _

_ She smiled fondly and bent down to kiss his cheek; a moment of affectionate indulgence. Lucius gave their son a final reassuring squeeze on his shoulder before the eleven year old turned to make his way to the train. At the last moment he turned back to his parents and waved at them before climbing up the stairs to find a compartment. _

_ Lucius looked over to glance down at his wife, whom he could tell was trying to keep her tears restrained by the leashes of her propriety. Yet, the brimming sadness of her baby's departure grew with every beat of her heart. She refused to take her eyes off of the train until it was too far away to see. When it was out of sight she finally turned to look up at him and gave him a small nod, telling him that she was ready to go. He gave her a reassuring smile and then took her hand in his. He was willing to allow this one moment of public display of affection. She needed it. _

…

_ Sometimes she would just sit in the middle of the hallway, waiting for the house to make some kind of noise. Without Draco at the Manor their home had become stale and stagnant. Aside from the few hours where Lucius was home, her life was filled with a lot of nothing. She still made every effort to ensure that their house was a home and that her husband had a place to relax after work. She also organized a fair amount of events for the Ministry and for people of their like-mindedness. While she cherished the moments she had along with her husband there still remained a large hole in the middle of her existence. _

_ She found herself sending far more notes to Draco than was probably necessary and was constantly in contact with acquaintances who may have seen or heard of his wellbeing. She and Lucius were of course beyond thrilled, although not at all surprised, that he had been sorted into Slytherin. _

_ Upon receiving that particular letter Lucius had hardly been able to contain his pride. _

_ He swept down to kiss her._

_ She laughed when he released her, "Oh, Lucius did you really have any doubts?" _

_ He gave a slight shrug, "One can never be entirely certain, my dear. I assumed that the strength of our blood would get him through. But with Dumbledore being headmaster, I knew that there was always a chance that he would be placed in something terrible like Hufflepuff." A great sneer was fixed upon his face. Just the thought of such a thing. _

_ Narcissa patted his arm, "Well now you can sleep peacefully know that your heir is on the right path and in the right house." _

_ He smiled, "Severus has promised to keep us informed of his endeavors."_

_ She tilted her head to the side, "You mean like a progress report?" _

_ "Cissa, I am not going to have my son fall behind in his academics. I want to stay on top of his activities and make sure that he does not fall astray." _

_ Narcissa placed her hand on his arm, "Lucius you shouldn't worry so much. He is just like his father, and I think that you turned out just fine." She smiled reassuringly. _

_ He gave the smallest of smiles, "We can only hope that he will be as successful." _

_ Oh the cockiness, she grinned. "Well at least he was good genes. At least we've given him something to work with." _

_ He nodded contemplatively, "You're right. But I still think that Severus should keep us in the know of his progress." _

_ "Whatever makes you happy, dear." Narcissa leaned up on her tip-toes and kissed the skin below his ears. _

_ Lucius gave her a sideways glace, "Are you trying to distract me?" _

_ She grinned, "Is it working?" _

_ He gave a half growled, "Come here you." With that he reached down to scoop her up into his arms and brought them up to their room. The enthusiasm for their House was still as ardent as it had been when they were at Hogwarts. _

…

_ Their initial excitement was broken away by the news that came to their home at the end of the school year. _

_ The look in her eyes hit him in his gut. "Cissa, please," he begged._

_ "You knew," she seethed. _

_ He tried to shake his head, "I had heard that there was a possibility, but I was not certain." _

_ "You allowed our son to go to a school knowing that his DADA professor had the Dark Lord strapped to his head! How could you possibly keep that from me?" she yelled. "Here I was thinking that we were sending him to a safe school, that we were assuring his security by keeping him close to home! But you knew! You knew that __**he**__ would be there and you allowed our only child take his class!" _

_ "That is not how it was!" he declared as he tried to reach for her. _

_ She quickly pulled away from his reach. Tears of furry were streaming unrestrained from her eyes, "I wanted him to be closer to home so that we could protect him. I would have sent him to the furthest corner of this planet if I had thought that his own father would place him directly in front of the most dangerous wizard of our time!" _

_ Lucius shouted at her, "I would never intentionally put Draco in danger! When we enrolled him at Hogwarts I was completely unaware of the situation with Quirrell." The anger between the two was reaching blistering heights. Lucius could barely contain the need to defend himself despite knowing that he was entirely guilty. _

_ "That is not the point! You should have told me the moment you had any suspicion! We should have pulled him out of that school at the first possible sign that the Dark Lord was alive and roaming the hallways of Hogwarts!" She had never felt more betrayed. Her husband, her faithful, devoted husband had just broken their world. _

_ "Narcissa, you're over reacting! If I ever thought that he was going to be harmed I would have brought him home! Quirrell never had any intention of hurting Draco, his focus was always on Potter. Draco is a Malfoy, a pureblood and the son of a Death Eater, if anything the Dark Lord would have welcomed him," he knew his explanation would never be enough. _

_ Her lip began to quiver and her fists were clenched and turning white. There was no gentleness in her manner now; her calm demeanor was erased by irrepressible rage. _

_ "How could you do this, Lucius? How could you put our only child in so much danger? Your precious heir! Does your son, this family really mean so little to you?" She half asked, half begged. "You are my husband, the father of my child, provider for my home. You are supposed to keep this family safe! When we thought that the Dark Lord had died you promised me that we were going to change our lives; that we would never return to that prior existence. You promised me! Now at the very first hint that he's alive you've already permitted his return to this family. How could you allow this to happen?" She fell clumsily onto the couch beside her. Her face fell into her hands as sobs racked her slim body. _

_ Lucius watched hopelessly as his wife crumbled in front of him. He slowly sat down beside her and touched the hem of her sleeve, hoping that this slight touch would begin his atonement. _

_ "Cissa-" he tried. _

_ She looked up with a glare, "Don't "Cissa" me, Lucius. You don't get to be affectionate with me. No pet names or hand holding is going to fix this. It's finally clear to me that the vows you gave to me became secondary the moment you seared __**his**__ brand into your skin." With that she stood up and left him behind. _

_Lucius leaned back onto the couch and tilted his head up to the ceiling feeling overwhelmingly racked with defeat and guilt. Their marriage had suffered greatly before the Dark Lord fell; if he returned Lucius feared that there would be nothing left to keep them together._

* * *

AN: This story is turning out to be a lot longer than I had originally intended. At first I had only planned on writing two parts; however, as I worked on Part II I decided that this story may end up consisted of 3-4 parts. Also, if any one has any suggestions on how I can improve this story please let me know! Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this! I really appreciate it!


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